The new cultivar is the product of chance discovery. The new variety originated as a naturally occurring branch mutation of the unpatented ‘Marina’ variety of Arbutus. The new variety was discovered by the inventor, Manuel Morales, during the Fall of 2008 in a commercial nursery in Royal Oaks, Calif. After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor continued confidential testing and observation of ‘MBAV13’ to determine the stability of the interesting foliage variegation.
Arbutus ‘Marina’ is a well-known nursery tree, introduced commercially in 1984. While the variety is well-known, the actual species has not been determined. Horticultural industry members have proposed Arbutus ‘Marina’ to either be a selection of Arbutus andrachnoides or a hybrid between Arbutus andrachnoides and Arbutus canariensis. The inventor is unaware of the actual species.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘MBAV13’ was first performed at a commercial nursery in Royal Oaks, Calif. by vegetative cuttings of the branch sport on a very limited basis beginning in late 2008. Access to all plants was restricted, as plants were kept in a location not open to the public. Through subsequent propagation, multiple generations have been reproduced, which have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.